


Fearless

by Madquinn13



Series: Teen Mom AU [17]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-18 12:57:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7316044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madquinn13/pseuds/Madquinn13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And I don't know how it gets better than this<br/>You take my hand and drag me head first<br/>Fearless<br/>And I don't know why but with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress<br/>Fearless</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Present Year

**Author's Note:**

> WHAT NEW UPDATE AND THERE IS A ? INSTEAD OF A SECOND ONE WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
> 
> Mixing things up again.  
> Please let me know what you guys prefer, the number of readers are dwindling with each new installment. So if I know what you guys like, like longer chapters or shorter. It all depends on you guys.  
> You literally turn terrible days into amazing ones and I have an asshat for a co-worker who likes to constantly tell me I'm terrible and scolding me like a child when I literally am her age with more experience over all, just not at this particular company.  
> Having social anxiety and only being able to get jobs in retail is horrible. 
> 
> Each chapter of this fic and the next will be a year. I am doing it this way so that a big plot point will happen on the 20th because it seems like a very cool mile stone.

Nyssa was lying on Sara’s bed with her two favorite blondes cuddled into her. Sara’s grip was tighter than usual but in all fairness Nyssa was leaving tomorrow.

“It’s not too late for me to go to SU.” Nyssa whispered into Sara’s ear.

“You are not going.” Sara smiled into Nyssa’s shoulder. “What time is your flight tomorrow?”

“Two in the afternoon. But I can spend every second before then with you.” Nyssa smiled feeling Lexie climb on top of her. “You too Princess.”

“We can go to park?” Lexie asked smacking Nyssa’s chest to get her attention.

“No sweetie, we can’t go to the park, but we can go out in the backyard with the swing set.” Nyssa had started to tickle the little girl.

Sara smiled at them. “Nys, you can take her.” Sara reached out. “You guys can go have fun at the park then come back home to me.”

“No.” Nyssa shook her head. “We’re spending this time together.” Nyssa kissed Sara’s cheek.

“Okay, but if she starts getting fussy because she wanted to go to the park, you’re going to deal with it.” Sara stressed.

* * *

 

Nyssa was at the Lance house, saying goodbye before she left for the air port. Sara was currently clinging to her, Lexie didn’t seem to know what was going on so she was off in the living room with her toys.

“I’ll be back as often as I can. I already have the jet on hold for my use. When your monitor is off you and Lex can come stay with me.” Nyssa was holding Sara just as tight.

“I wish I could see you off at the airport.”

“It’s okay. This is just as good.” Nyssa kissed Sara’s shoulder. “It’s not to late to ask me to stay. Not to go.”

“I know, and I know that if I ask you, you’d do it.” Sara’s breath touches Nyssa’s ear. “That’s why I’d never ask. Besides, we only just got back together, be a shame for it to be so short due to some stupid decision made by you. Like say not going to Yale.” Sara felt Nyssa tighten her grip at the mere mention of a break up.

“I’m not doing anything stupid.” Nyssa smiled, taking Sara’s hand in her own, walking over to the living room where Quentin was getting Lexie’s shoes on her.

“What are you doing Dad?” Sara asked confused.

“Getting her ready to go.” He looked at them. “We need to leave in the next five minutes for the airport.”

“But I can’t go.”

“You can if I go with you, which I am, this is my condition. When she is gone, I don’t want you moping around because you miss her, it’s temporary. Focus on school and you’ll see how little time you have to miss her. Think about how much shit everyone will give you, going to school with an ankle monitor.” Quentin winked at Sara finishing tying the laces on Lexie’s little Chuck Taylors.

“I can see her off at the airport?” Sara asked looking at him in pure disbelief.

“Yeah.” Quentin nodded and Sara turned to Nyssa.

“I can go with you to the airport!” She literally jumped up into Nyssa’s arms who managed to have caught her.

* * *

 

The car ride over was quiet, mostly it was just Lexie being her adorable self with singing along to the radio not that she knew the majority of the words. It wasn’t until they were right outside security that it really hit what it meant for them. Sara wrapped her arms tight around Nyssa’s neck.

“I don’t want you to go.” Sara tightened her grip.

“I don’t want to go.” Nyssa muttered back her arms just as tightly wrapped around Sara.

Lexie was out of her grandfather’s arms and now was at her mother’s knees trying to get in on the hug because she could feel they were upset about something.

Nyssa broke the hold first bending down to scoop up Lexie. “Be good for Mommy okay.” Nyssa held the toddler tight in her arms.

“I come too.” Lexie seemed to have understood the whole, Mama is going away for a little bit part.

“No, you’re staying here, but I’ll be back really soon.” Nyssa explained.

“No.” Lexie was holding Nyssa’s shirt in a death grip. Nyssa just looked at Sara.

“Ask me to stay.”

“I can’t.”

“Stay Mama.” Lexie did it for her only it wasn’t any good.

“I’ll call as soon as I land.” Nyssa promised.

“You better, can’t have you pulling a Juliette Barnes, leaving us to never know your fate.”

“But it worked so well for Kirby.” Nyssa tried to lighten the mood, she saw the time on a wall clock and sighed. “I really have to go now.”

“I know.” Quentin looked away as they shared a kiss that he didn’t think should be shown in public, let alone with a toddler that close.

“Be good.” Nyssa whispered to Sara before the blonde literally pulled the toddler off. “I love you Princess.”

“Love you too Mama.”

* * *

 

The school year was approaching when Sara went to Dinah on the verge of tears.

“I can’t go back there, Mom. It was hard enough when I had Nyssa, but I can’t go to that place alone.” She started to explain to her mother who just pulled her in a hug and started to rub her back.

“I already am committed to teach this fall, but if you don’t mind having the lessons in the evening then we can go back to home schooling, if that’s what you’re trying to say. Or we can look at other schools for you to go to if you would rather that.”

“The only other schools are the Catholic one runs by nuns, or the public ones with metal detectors all over the place.”

“I know, that’s why we put you both in the one we did.” Dinah sighed. “It’s up to you. I want you to feel comfortable and safe.”

“So it’s okay if I want to go back to home schooling?” Sara asked.

“It is more than okay.” Dinah kissed the top of Sara’s head. “Now if it wasn’t for your anklet, would you still want to stay away from that school?”

“Yeah.”

“Does it have anything to do with that black eye you had?”

“…Yeah.”

“Sweetie, why didn’t you come to us? I know your father tried to help.”

“He told Laurel to follow me.”

“I believe the word he used was protect.”

“I just don’t want to go back okay.”

“Okay. I’ll get the books and courses tomorrow. Can you go set the table while I check on dinner?”

“Yeah Mom.” Sara nodded.

* * *

 

Laurel was making the whole family know how annoyed she was that she wasn’t allowed to live on campus. All of her friends were and she was stuck with her parents.

“Laurel we live fifteen minutes away by walking. Some of the dorms aren’t that close.” Quentin rolled his eyes as Laurel continued to complain about how unfair her life was. “You are more then welcome to get a job and move out.” He pointed out looking over to the dinner table where Dinah was trying to teach Sara.

“Maybe I will.” Laurel threatened.

“Great, paper’s in the kitchen. Start with the want ads.” Laurel just stared at him in shock, like how dear he suggest that.

“Yeah I will!” She stormed off, already calling Oliver. Quentin just looked to Lexie who was sat at the kitchen table, in her little booster chair coloring.

“Don’t you start acting like Auntie Laurel okay.”

“Otay.” She grinned at him before going back to coloring, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth showing her concentration.

* * *

 

Nyssa doesn’t get to go home until almost two months later. It’s only for a weekend. Lexie is spending her time with Nyssa on her lap mostly, wither they’re eating, watching tv or just having Nyssa read to her, Lexie won’t leave her Mama. Nyssa doesn’t mind but she is looking forward to having alone time with Sara.

After bed time, it’s just Sara and Nyssa in the house. They are lounging on Sara’s bed, TV playing in the background but long abandoned. They were sharing lazy kisses, just keeping each other in reach and touching as much as possible. Nyssa went to deepen the kiss and paused when her hand was getting dangerously close to going up Sara’s top.

“I want you, Sara I really do but I need to know that what happened last time won’t happen again. Because every little doubting thought keeps going back to that point and I can’t have that happen again.” Nyssa explained physically moving from Sara to keep her mind clear.

“I won’t do that again. I don’t want to be away from you anymore Nys.” Sara explained trying to get explain everything to Nyssa. “I don’t want us to be over. I love you and I know that it’s scary, that love is crazy because we give so much power to someone else and they can literally hurt us with small actions. I don’t want to hurt you, I did what I did to try and prevent myself from being hurt because I was stupid. I want to fall asleep in your arms every night for the rest of my life and wake up in them with you next to me. I know you need to trust me before we go further and I completely understand that. I’m not asking you what I can do to earn your trust back because I don’t deserve it, I don’t deserve a cheat sheet.”

Nyssa silenced Sara with a kiss. “Promise no more running and I’ll believe you. I’ll trust you.” Nyssa’s hands are back on Sara.

“I promise.” Sara spoke between kisses and stopped when she felt Nyssa pull off her shirt.

* * *

 

Both nights Nyssa was back in Starling she spent showing Sara how much she loved and missed her. The sex was still amazing, more so than the first time and not just because when Nyssa woke up Sara was still there. They didn’t get to fall asleep naked, you don’t get that luxury when you have a toddler who likes to make sure everyone else is awake the second she is by running into bedrooms and jumping on the beds. In the mornings Nyssa would go downstairs and make a big amazing breakfast for her girls, taking advantage of the empty house, glad that Quentin and Dinah took advantage of his weekend off and her conference in Central. Laurel was visiting Oliver at his latest college. Lexie was amazed with the giant feast first thing in the morning and she couldn’t decide what to try first.

“You’re amazing.” Sara breathed out, arms wrapping around Nyssa.

“Go sit down and eat.” She chided looking over to where Lexie was strapped in waiting for a plate to be put in front of her.

“I love you.”

“I love you too now shoo.” Nyssa gave Sara a small little smack to her tushie. Nyssa finished flipping the pancakes, flipping them with the pan which Lexie loved, and made Sara nervous. She dished everything up, putting the hash browns in a different plate because she knew that Lexie and Sara both didn’t like their foods to touch each other on the plates.

“When do you have to leave to go back?” Sara asked cutting up Lexie’s pancakes for her.

“I can stay here until five then I need to leave.” She admitted pouring the milk into Lexie’s sippy cup.

“Okay. Any idea when you can come back?”

“Not for another month.” Nyssa sighed putting the syrup in a little dish so Lexie and Sara can dip their pancakes, since they wouldn’t dare pour it over the pancakes themselves.

“So we’ll make it amazing.” Sara grinned starting to eat her breakfast glancing at Lexie was grabbed a handful of bacon and shoved it into her mouth. “You have to chew silly, one strip at a time.”

* * *

Nyssa’s one month later ended up becoming not until after the semester was over, even during Thanksgiving and mid term break Nyssa had to spend it studying or writing papers. It was two weeks to Christmas when Nyssa finally came home, she went straight to the Lance household, Sara met her out at the walk way running into her arms. They did the obnoxious spinning while kissing thing.

“Now, I know you keep saying that the only thing you want for your birthday is for me to be here, which I will be, Mom convinced most of the family to come here, so they can meet you and Lexie. I can’t get you another car, a purchase that big requires signed permission from my mother, and my grandfather. I told him that it was for me, not you, that was Mom’s idea. I can’t get him to sign off on that again. I do have a little surprise planned but that’s not your main gift. You need to tell me something you really want.”

“I don’t know what I want besides you.” Sara kissed her cheek. “I wouldn’t turn down a sex weekend. I have no idea how we’ll pull it off, but I won’t turn it down.”

“I’ll see what I can do. So, what do you want for Christmas?”

“A second sex weekend?” Sara laughed being carried into her home.

“Okay. I’ll make a note.” Nyssa set Sara down on the couch in the living room. “Where’s my little Princess?”

“Fever so she’s in bed sleeping.” Sara explained.

“Awh my poor baby. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You had exams I didn’t want you to worry over a little fever, I took her to the doctor, it isn’t that high, some medicine and rest and she’ll be fine.” Sara shrugged. “You looking forward to having your family come?”

“I am; I don’t want you to be nervous they will love you. I didn’t tell them anything about what happened, I know Mom didn’t. So they’ll love you. They heard stories about Lexie and seen her picture and videos. I mean she’s adorable.”

“It’ll be fun getting my dad to sit outside the restaurant or your house so I can actually go.”

“Sara, I was planning on inviting your family to the dinner as well.” Nyssa rolled her eyes. “You can cover the monitor or not, I don’t care, whichever you’re more comfortable with.”

“What will the restaurant be like?”

“It would have to be Russian, my grandfather doesn’t like anything else, but I’m sure we can find one that serves more than just Russian food.”

“What is Russian food?”

“There is the well known classics like Borsch, which is a beet and cabbage red soup, the ever famous Stroganoff, Blini which is like a thin crêpe made with buckwheat for savoury fillings or white flour for sweet toppings. Syrniki, a denser form of ricotta pancakes, which are eaten for breakfast, I can’t wait to make them for you and Lex, Shaslik, is like a shish kebab but with thicker chunks of meat and served with unleavened bread, Russian pickles and a spicy tomato sauce. Pelmeni, what you guys know as dumplings, packed with tasty herbs filled with meat and a thinner dough than other versions.” Nyssa smiled at the memories of the food she spent the longer length of her life eating.

“You grew up on all that?”

“Whenever we lived on the family compound. My Grandfather wouldn’t hear of any non Russian dishes being served on his land. He isn’t a difficult man, he just wants the best for his family. He’s seen the choices that his children made without his advice and how terrible they were, one of my uncles died of a drug overdose trying to get out from his control, it hit him hard. He hasn’t stopped blaming himself for it.” Nyssa felt like she needed to explain to her girlfriend why her grandfather was the way he was; he wasn’t bad or controlling. He just did what he did out of love and fear of losing them. After all he saw what happened when Yuliya left and didn’t listen to him. She ended up being abused and raped for years.

“He sounds like he just wants the best for all of you.” Sara smiled up at Nyssa. “Come on, let’s go downstairs and not watch tv.” The glint in Sara’s eyes said everything she had planned for Nyssa in the basement where no one ever went anymore.

* * *

 

It was two days before Christmas when it was time for the two families meet. It was a five star restaurant, mainly Russian but it served dishes from other countries as well, and they were paid an extra fee to make whatever anyone else wanted. They weren’t on his land so her Grandfather didn’t care what others ate. Quentin was in his best suit, the girls were in loving dresses, Lexie included.

Nyssa met them outside, she seemed more nervous than Sara.

“You look amazing.” Nyssa breathed out pulling Sara into a tight hug, Nyssa in was a sleek red dress with diamond jewelry to go with it.

“So do you. Why are you nervous? You aren’t suppose to be nervous, you’re going to make me nervous.” Sara was trying to calm them both down.

“He’s in a mood. A cousin told him that he can’t ‘control him anymore and that he can’t be bought’ basically he isn’t going into the family business, but it was said with much more swears and insults.”

“Is your cousin here?”

“Nope, he said he was going to eat all the American food he can.”

“Your grandfather was alive when we were at war.” Sara just realised. “Does he still hold that grudge?”

“If he did I wouldn’t think he’d want to expand his business here.” Nyssa took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s go in shall we?”

The dinner was a success, the families got along, Lexie was well behaved and adorable even if after a half hour she wanted up on Sara’s lap, and then she wanted to go on Nyssa’s then Yuliya’s lap. Yuliya thought the dinner was going well when Quentin and her father got into a grand chat over sports, which unknowing helped with a surprise gift Nyssa was waiting to get signed off.

“So Lexie, what is that short for?” The head of the family finally asked looking at Sara who was sat next to Nyssa, who was directly to the man’s left. “I assume that is not her full name.”

“It’s short for Alexis sir.” Sara spoke preparing for the follow up questions. “Her full name is Alexis Dinah Lance.”

“The middle name is for your mother, very sweet and honorable, where did Alexis come from?”

“A doctor. A surgeon actually. From a television show…a fictional one.” Sara explained smiling before sipping her drink.

“Very smart. You should name your children after great people with great accomplishments, it is why Adolf is no longer as popular in Germany.” The old patriarch smiled back looking over to the toddler who sat on his daughter’s lap to his right. “You are going to be a very successful girl Lexie.” He smiled down to the toddler who just beamed up to her. “Of course when the marriage finally happens she will also be promised a position in the family business.” He smiled to the teens. Sara wasn’t sure what that meant, she heard marriage and her heart was racing and her mind was screaming to run. Nyssa always seeming to be able to read her mind but a hand on her knee to calm her.

“They’re too young to think of such things as marriage right Quentin? We don’t want those two running off any time soon.” Yuliya spoke up wanting to dissipate all talk of marriage, a member of the family always brought her history with it and she knew Nyssa didn’t want the Lances to know the full extent of that, not that she blamed her.

“What about her father?” This question caused everyone at the table minus Laurel and the patriarch who asked it to choke slightly.

“Dedushka!” Nyssa snapped staring at the older man.

“Sara what of Lexie’s father?” He repeated the question staring down the soon to be seventeen year old.

“He’s some what in the picture. He offered financial support when he found out, but we knew it was best not to be in a relationship just for the sake of raising a baby. I gave him an out and he took it. He wishes to be a part of her life just not as a father.”

“Why not? He created the baby, he should be a man and take his responsibility.”

“That’s what I said.” Quentin agreed.

“He’s not a man if he runs and hide from fatherhood, even Nyssa’s father didn’t run from it, he was just unfit to be one.” This last comment earned the older man an elbow from his daughter and a dirty look from his granddaughter.

“He was already in a relationship, one that he saw himself being a part for many years perhaps even marrying her. It was a mistake which resulted in something amazing.” Sara could feel the anger coming off Nyssa in waves for this line of questioning thankfully the rest of her family wasn’t chiming in like usual instead leaving him to do all the interrogating.

 Sergei Raakto turned to look at Quentin. “I commend you on your self restraint not to chop off the yaytsa and kher of that pedik. I only never did with her father because he fled the country soon after impregnating Yuliya.”

“Can we have one dinner without mentioning yaytsa, kher and pediks?” One of Nyssa’s female cousins asked looking rather annoyed at this apparent common tangent.

“Yes Otets, let’s not discuss this anymore.” Yuliya spoke up wanting this conversation to ended. She loved and respected her father, he took her back without any question or lecture. He just wanted to know what he had to do to keep them safe and with him. He could have shoved it in her face that she chose to leave, that she threw a tantrum, told him to go fuck himself and left but he never did. He has expressed regret in loosing eight years with Nyssa, but has only blamed her father for that, not Yuliya.

* * *

 

Christmas day came very quickly after that. Lexie was up and excited to see what Santa brought. She ran into Mommy’s room, jumping on the bed waking her up.

“Mommy wake up!” She yelled before one last jump, landing on her butt and climbing down running out of that bedroom and into her aunt’s and grandparents to do the same thing.

By the time they all woke up and were ready they went downstairs, the toddler literally bouncing with excitement. Sara was exhausted, her and Nyssa were up all night finishing the last few wrapping jobs and setting up Lexie’s presents from their hiding spots from the Lance’s basement under the stairs and the Raakto house surprise present storage rooms.

Seeing the tree set up and the mountain of presents Lexie’s eyes didn’t know where to look she was so over stimulated. A knock on the front door drew her attention and she ran to that.

“Lex what is the rule about the door?” Quentin called out after her following her, trying to keep the overly social and friendly toddler from letting any Tom, Dick or Harry into the house.

“I don’t open. Mommy or you or Grandma or Auntie Laurel or Uncle Ollie or Uncle Tommy or Mama open.” She recited back standing at the door, literally just short enough to not be able to reach the lock.

“Maybe not Uncle Ollie or Tommy either.” He muttered picturing one of those idiots being the representatives for his house for people. Lexie was still smacking the glass when he approached, she could see it was her Mama through the glass and she wanted her in the house. Quentin unlocked and opened the door letting Nyssa inside. “You’re here early.”

“Everyone else in my house is asleep.” Nyssa shrugged. “Plus Lexie gets so excited just talking about what she asked for, I had to come see her actually open them.” Nyssa was carrying a bag of presents as well. “Plus we both know how impatient Sara is.”

“That’s true she’s worse than Lex.” Quentin laughed letting Nyssa in and following Lexie with her into the living room where everyone else was.

Lexie was going through her many gifts, opening up her stocking pulling each little thing out, whining for help now and then when she couldn’t take something out.

Sara was spending most of the time watching Lexie while cuddling into Nyssa, after all of the Santa gifts were done, Quentin had a new electric razor, socks, under shirts and ‘badge polish’ which was really just regular metal polish with a special label tapped on it.

Laurel got mostly new clothes which is what she wanted, Dinah got some old musty books, Nyssa was the only one besides Dinah who seemed even half interested in them, or understood how old smelly books were a good gift.

After Santa’s gifts it was time for the other gifts. Lexie was sat on her mother’s lap, her new Bubble Guppies sweater pulled on as she munched on some candy that was in her mother’s stocking.

“Those ones?” Lexie asked pointing to the bag of presents that Nyssa brought with her that was missing one third of it’s original content.

“Those are for Mommy’s birthday; we’ll get to those after lunch when we start celebrating Mommy’s birthday okay.” Nyssa winked feeling Sara looking at her with what she knew was a pout because Sara wanted to open them all, but it was a rule in the Lance household to make sure that Sara got her own special day like everyone else did on their birthday, once 12 o’clock came Christmas was over and it was all about Sara’s birthday.

Nyssa passed a simple flat box that was around the size of usual shirt boxes to Quentin and Sara both. They were in similar wrapping paper with inverted colors. Sara started tearing off the paper (with Lexie’s help) as soon as it was within her reach.

“Holy sh-” Sara stopped her from swearing just in time as she stared into the box, Quentin was just staring at it in shock.

“How did you-?” He started.

“There is something inside the pocket.” Nyssa spoke simply smiling at the expressions her gifts were causing. Quentin reached first, Sara was still staring in shock. He pulled out an envelope stuffed with papers.

“What…why do these say Owner’s Box?”

“Because they are season tickets that are located in the Owner’s Box.” Nyssa explained.

“How? How did you get these?” Sara just stared at her, the object with a pocket in her hand, it was a Rocket’s official team uniform button shirt.

“I convinced, with Quentin’s unknowing help, that minor league baseball teams are a very good investment lately, they tend to pull in three times their worth in just one year. It makes the most economic sense to acquire one when able to for a financial profile. Also I know how much you two love the team, so I also got these.” She passed them both a second box, this one contained official Rocket jackets identical to what the players wore.

Quentin was speechless, he kept opening and closing his mouth trying to figure out what to say, instead he walked the short distance over to Nyssa, hugged her and kissed her forehead. “I’d trade both of my girls for you.”

Laurel and Sara both faked a pout at that. Next Nyssa handed a large heavy box to Dinah. The older woman opened it warily and then gasped. She started pulling box after box out, the box was filled with all the rarest and original mythology books.

“I was told by the seller that the originals were from the Library of Alexandria but he was unable to give any proof for it. They are in their original languages, but I have the translated versions as well.” Dinah hugged the teen as well then looked at Sara.

“Do not mess this up. She is perfect.”

Laurel was given beautiful clothing as well as a board game called “Passing the Bar” which was all about Law School, the books ‘One L: The turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School’ ‘Ivy Briefs: True Tales of a Neurotic Law Student’ and a metal tin of cards that said ‘Law School in a Box’ Laurel just grinned at her friend.

“You truly are amazing.”

Lexie looked up at her Mama understanding that everyone seemed amazed at their gifts.

“I didn’t forget about you, sweetie don’t worry.” Nyssa leaned down to kiss Lexie’s head. “Your gift is in the garage.” Sara picked Lexie up, now wearing her shirt. They all went out to the garage, last night Nyssa had Laurel move all the cars out of it for this very reason. The closer they got to the door the harder it was for Sara to actually keep Lexie in her arms so she just let her go, Lexie ran into the large room and started screaming. In the garage was a very real, yet miniature looking car, complete with working trunk, horn and lights. It was all electric and had three speed gears, ranging from 3-6mph. The insides looked just like a real car.

“How is it so realistic?” Sara asked looking at Nyssa.

“Technically it is a real car, just smaller and safer. It has all the real features though, including heated seats and it has winter tires on now, and it is heated but once the snow is gone I’ll bring it in to get regular wheels on it.” Nyssa explained over joyed with how excited Lexie was. “The backseat is only big enough for stuffed toys so she can only drive one friend around.”  

“You spoil her.” Sara spoke up.

“She spoils all of us.” Quentin spoke up. “Shut and let her Sara.” His tone made it clear he was joking.

* * *

 

After lunch and cake they were back in the living room. Sara surrounded by more gifts, an amazing t shirt that said number one mommy from Lexie. A two real sets of scrubs, one said SGH, the other said GSMH. Each were taken from the show with the certificates to prove it.

“Any thought to what you plan to do in college?” Nyssa asked glad to be holding Sara in her arms.

“Nope.” Sara admitted. “Just focusing on getting into it.” She yawned. “Where’s Lex, maybe we can convince her to cuddle up with us for a nap.”

“You’re tired after all that cake and icing?”

“Too much excitement. I’m worn out. I can’t believe I haven’t fully passed out yet.”

“Next year I’ll try to keep it simple.” Nyssa promised. “You nap; I’ll take care of Lexie. I don’t think anyone is getting through to your mom any time soon, she seems determine to read all the books in one sitting. Laurel is off to join Oliver and your Dad is still calling everyone bragging about his gift and what an amazing daughter in law he has.”

“Yeah, you need to remind them that we aren’t married.”

“And that as far as you feel now, we never will be because we don’t need to do it to prove our love, that we will be together forever and be faithful to each other only.”

“I’m glad you understand.”

“Of course I do.” Nyssa looked down at her necklace, a silver ring with the words ‘forever and always’ on it. Her gift from Sara.

* * *

 

New Years had Lexie excited and when the ball dropped on the tv she jumped up and down in her mother’s bed, surprisingly not waking the two fast asleep teens in the bed who were worn out after chasing her around all day. That car only went 6mph at top speed but Lexie knew how to drive it so she couldn’t be caught.


	2. Not like Rory Gilmore's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surprises are had for everyone. Sex is enjoyed. Children are fussy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So to keep this chapter short I focused on what we skipped from last chapter, next chapter will be the next year focusing on what I skimmed on this one.   
> It's not perfect I know but I didn't know how much longer it would take and I didn't think it was fare to all of you. 
> 
> Please I beg you give me feedback so I know what you guys like and dislike.   
> 17 and 18 are different so when 19 comes you won't wonder about a huge time skip.

Nyssa climbed down the few steps out of the jet and onto the tarmac, book bag over her shoulder.  She had the work she would be missing from the week away. It was February which meant Lexie was turning two and Nyssa wouldn’t miss it for the world.

She entered the car and was dropped off at her mother’s house where a small mountain of presents were sent to keep Sara and Lexie from seeing them. Lexie wanted to go to an aquarium even after they had to tell her no aquarium would have whatever the Bubble Guppies were.

She was having a hard time staying awake, she worked herself ragged the last few nights finishing off some papers when she first came home. She had decided for herself to get as much work done early as possible so she could maximize her time spent with Lexie and Sara. But right now she just wanted to fall asleep with Sara in her arms and Lexie in the next room.

She checked over the presents, adding new ones to it. (Some were just Yale clothes, Lexie saw a shirt that Sara had bought for Nyssa as a joke and wants clothes like that as well.) She spoke to her mother before agreeing to drive her over to the Lance house so Nyssa could spend the night with Sara and Lexie. She has made peace with the fact that while Sara is bound to her house then Nyssa would be staying with them instead of with her.

Nyssa arrived at the Lance house just before everyone else sat down for dinner. She kissed Sara’s cheek, Lexie’s head then excused herself before going up to Sara’s room, changing into some pj pants and a tank top, falling asleep face first in the pillows that smell of Sara.

Downstairs Lexie was overjoyed at having her Mama back in town.

“She seems exhausted.” Dinah fretted glancing up at the stairs where Nyssa had disappeared too. “I hope her studies aren’t too hard on her.”

“She’s been doing extra work instead of sleeping.” Sara admitted it. “She told me a few times. She wanted to make sure that she could actually spend her time here with us, actually with us instead of bent over her books.”

“Mama sleeping?” Lexie looked over from her high chair at Sara who just smiled and nodded.

“She is; she’s been doing all her school work so she could spend all this time with you for your birthday!” Sara explained smiling down at the little girl while she mashed Lexie’s potato adding butter to it for her.

“I wanna sleep with Mama after supper.” Lexie spoke with a mouthful of food.

“I think for tonight you can sleep with us, just this once since I know how much you missed her and she missed you.” Sara kept trying to do the right things, to be a good mother. “But no more talking with your mouthful.” She smiled starting to eat her own meal.

The rest of dinner was uneventful and the second Lexie was done she raced upstairs to get her pjs so she could crawl in next to her Mama who was out like a light.

Sara was close behind to help her change and brush her teeth and hair. Sara brushed hair away from Nyssa’s face and kissed her forehead.

“I love you.” Sara smiled down before Lexie ran in clutching Spotty. “Shh we can’t wake Mama she’s very tired and needs to sleep.” Sara went under the sheets and wrapped an arm around Nyssa’s back. Lexie climbed over Sara until she was in the middle under her mother’s arm and snuggled into her mother. Sara just smiled wishing she could take a picture of it, of all three of them. Her little family.

* * *

 

When the day finally arrived Nyssa could have seemed to be more excited than Lexie. Sara was just trying to make this the best birthday ever for her. She knew it was rare that she would remember it later on but Sara doubted she would ever forget a single important detail or milestone in Lexie’s life.

“Sara.” Nyssa poked the sleeping blonde sharply in the back. “Sara wake up.” Nyssa poked her harder.

“What?” Sara grumbled blinking against the sunlight. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s six.”

“AM?”

“Of course.”

“Why did you wake me?”

“We should make Lexie a very special birthday breakfast in bed!” Nyssa was practically bouncing from excitement.

“Or we could not get her use to the idea of waking up early and instead go down to IHOP or Denny’s for a birthday brunch.” Sara frowned. “Can I just go back to sleep?”

“It’ll be so much better if we do it all ourselves baby.” Nyssa literally pouted, she didn’t do it often, she left it usually to her blondes but this she felt was worth it.

“But..sleep…” Sara groaned before sitting up. “I am drinking as many energy drinks as needed today and I do not want to hear any bitching or complaining from you about it. It’s your fault.” Sara told her grabbing her cozy fluffy morning robe and slippers.

“Fine, but please do not drink them all in succession I would you like you to live to see her third birthday.” Nyssa grabbed her own robe. “After she goes to bed I’ll make us a romantic dinner for our second Valentine’s Day.”

“That’s nice. I hope I’m not too tired to enjoy it from getting woken at six.” Sara rolled her eyes before huffing downstairs. She went to the fridge and started on her first drink, pouring it into a travel mug to hide the contents. Nyssa just did her best not to comment or give a disapproving look, she never had caffeine, her body was a temple and she only placed the very best in it. Nyssa started by turning on the burners to get them warmed up before spraying the frying pans with PAM and going to the fridge to get the ‘good bacon’ as Lexie called it. It was really just back bacon imported from Montreal that was smoked in maple wood as well as soaked in maple syrup. The round cylinders filled the pan quickly but they took forever to cook so Nyssa made sure to do that first before all so it was all ready at the one time. She started to make the waffle batter when Sara went to the fridge and started chopping off bits from the block of old cheddar cheese.

“What are you doing?” Nyssa asked eyeing her carefully.

“I’m hungry and everything you’re cooking seems to take hours, why I had to be woken to watch you cook still is lost on me.”

“I thought you’d like to help and maybe add something yourself to the big birthday breakfast. You can make muffins or cupcakes for her in the oven, I’ll cook the hash browns on the stovetop instead.”

“Hmm, I could make some amazing cupcakes.” She nodded before deciding on what to do. “I got a better idea. You bake them and I’ll decorate them.” She grinned at Nyssa making sure to bat her eyelashes like she always did to get her way.

“Deal. Can I trust you to at least use a hand mixer for the batters?”

“No.” Sara answered honestly, her head resting on her arms at the table. Nyssa was going to respond when she noticed that Sara was asleep again.

Nyssa picked Sara up with little fuss and laid her out on the couch in the living room, draping a blanket over her. This was something they could do every year. Maybe next year Nyssa would forgo waking Sara for the cooking and just wake her in time for the decorating. They would need a few years to get a good routine but they would get it sorted out.

This time Nyssa waiting until the cupcakes were cooled to wake Sara from the couch. It was almost seven and Lexie usually woke around then. Nyssa sat at the table watching Sara cover the cupcakes (vanilla with little candies in it that were rainbow) with chocolate and vanilla icing (the vanilla dyed every color under the rainbow) before dumping sprinkles on it and an Oreo cookie at the top. She made each one of the 24 different, some instead of a big Oreo had a Chips Ahoy! Rainbow chip cookie with either different colored sprinkles or cookie or Oreo bits instead.

“They look like one lick will cause a mouth full of cavities.” Nyssa wrinkled her nose at them.

“I wouldn’t rule that out. Good thing all of Lexie’s teeth will fall out anyways.” Sara smiled, her nose crinkling and her eyes shining from the happiness. It was the kind of smile that made Nyssa wonder what she ever did to have it directed at her let alone have the woman who made the smile, love her back.

“But it would be a shame to make her toothless for years before her adult ones came in.” Nyssa started to make up the tray to take up anyways, handing the giant pink and musical ‘2’ to Sara to add to which ever cupcake Lexie wanted first.

“Don’t forget to take the powder sugar for the waffles. She likes her _snow_.” Sara winked before grabbing the pan which held twelve of the cupcakes.

Nyssa was in the room first and laid the tray down on the small desk while Sara laid the pan on top of the dresser. Nyssa walked over to the bed slowly and gently brushed the hair out of Lexie’s face. She slept like her mother, face buried in a pillow, hand clutching either a sheet, pillow or stuffy. Sara has managed to grip all three as well as Nyssa’s shirt in one hand before.

Nyssa started to slowly rub her back. “It’s time to wake up sweetie.” Nyssa was speaking in a sweet and gentle voice; no hard poking was involved when it came to waking Lexie. “It is a very special day today.” After some more sweet words and back rubs Lexie woke up with a smile on her face and went straight into her Mama’s arms. “We have a very big surprise for you.” Nyssa smiled looking over to Sara who carried over the tray with the breakfast as well as the pan of cupcakes.

“You can pick out one cupcake, and blow out your candle first, but you can’t eat it until you finished your breakfast okay?” She did the great mom thing of making it sound like a suggestion but also clear that it wasn’t up for debate, it was a command.

“Okay Mommy.” Lexie picked out a cupcake with hideous blue icing, bright pink sprinkles with Oreo crumbs, a Chips Ahoy cookie on the top of it. Sara stuck the candle in it and Nyssa lit. They both sang quietly so as not to wake the rest of the house, the candle playing the song softly. When Sara blew it out, droplets of spittle went over the bed sheets and she laughed.

“Okay, it’ll be waiting for you, just like the rest.” Sara informed her. “Just say when, when there is enough snow on your waffle.” Sara laughed allowing it to fall down over the fluffy food.

After what Nyssa considered a disgusting amount, Lexie shouted when and Sara stopped. The food was cut up and Sara allowed Lexie to feed herself while Nyssa just stared at them smiling like a madwoman. She was so lucky.

“We’ll have a lunch with the family and then afterwards we’ll have your party.” Nyssa explained. “You can wear whatever you’d like to wear to your party.”

* * *

 

The party came, after they came to the shark tank Lexie didn’t want to leave. It was love at first sight. Nyssa knew before that Sara loved sharks, mostly their inability to go backwards or stop. They had to keep going forward. She took pictures of Sara lifting Lexie up and pointing telling her all about the different kinds of sharks in the tank. Before they left Sara bought Lexie a plushie of a bull shark. Lexie’s gifts were large and spoiling, she had a brand new playset to replace the one that was taken down last summer, the old rusted one Sara and Laurel had as small children. A brand new tricycle for her and a toddler scooter that stood up on it’s own. The garage was cleared so she could ride around it giggling the whole time.

After story time she went straight to sleep the second her head hit the pillow. Nyssa and Sara both kissed her forehead before leaving.

“Time for our date?” Nyssa asked wrapping her arms around her girlfriend.

“Can I say no to dinner and just suggest we skip and go straight to the bedroom part of the date?”

“Yes sweetie, we can do whatever you wish.” Nyssa smiled. “I just need to go out to my car and get your present.”

“I need to get mine from it’s hiding spot as well.” They shared a brief kiss before each going to get their gift. They met back on Sara’s bed glad to be the only adults in the house.

Nyssa handed Sara a small box while Sara handed Nyssa a slightly bigger box as well as a brown envelope that seemed average paper size.

“On the count of three?”

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

Sara tore off the small wrapping while Nyssa gently peeled off her own paper to the box.

“Oh my god.” Sara gasped, it was a necklace with a white gold, the pendant was a pair of hands joined with a smaller hand on top of both. The back to the hands read ‘No love is as strong or powerful as that as a mother’s and her child’s.’ Nyssa had her own necklace, it was of a simple silver heart with Sara on one side and Lexie on the other if she didn’t already have tears in her eyes she would have once she opened the brown envelope. Inside were papers, official adoption papers. Legally giving Nyssa claim over Lexie as her mother.

“Sara.”

“It’s long over due.” Sara spoke up. “But I honestly didn’t even think of the legal side of everything. Dad told me, that if anything happened to me, you’d have no say with Lexie. If my other’s were injured as well and it was just you and Lexie, you could lose her. I wanted to make sure you would never lose her.” Sara barely got the words out before she was all but tackled by Nyssa in a deep kiss.

They were still naked and under the sheets, giggling like fools as they stared at each other, smiling big enough to hurt.

“Still worried that I’ll be gone in the morning?” Sara asked leaning in to kiss Nyssa’s nose speaking a simple boop under her breath after the kiss.

“The monitor helps.” Nyssa teased, Sara faked offence and gave her a light shove.

“How dare you.” They both broke out into laughter again, this time they were stopped when the door opened and a cranky looking Lexie stood in the doorway.

“I’m trying to sleep!” She huffed before stalking back to her bed. Nyssa and Sara stared at each other before bursting into laughter, only to cover their mouths moments later.

* * *

 

April was uneventful. Nyssa was busy writing papers in her dorm suite. It wasn’t as nice as the one occupied by Rory Gilmore on television, but it was hers alone and she’d rather that than anything else.

She was currently in her living room when there was a knock on the door.

“Just one second.” She paused her show heading to the door. She opened it with no fanfare and found a giant teddy bear bigger than most toddlers, she picked it up and was surprised to see who was hiding behind it.

“Mama!” Lexie yelled jumping into her arms causing her to drop the bear. Sara came out from a nearby stairwell.

“Surprise.” Sara laughed entering the doorway.

“How are you here?” Nyssa blinked not quite over her shock. Sara’s response was just to lift up her pant leg. “You didn’t tell me you were getting it off!”

“That ruins a surprise doesn’t it Lex?” She asked who just laughed as well.

“Uh huh!” Lexie wrapped her arms tight around Nyssa who walked them both into the room.

“Huh, it’s not what I pictured.”

“You’ve seen it over Skype.”

“Yeah but I kept thinking it was only some of it. I kept picturing Rory’s dorm.”

“Well I am sad to say that this is not a TV show.” Nyssa went to her small fridge and grabbed the bottle of juice. “How long are you staying?” She asked not seeing any bags.

“As long as you’ll have us. I left our bags under the stairs.” Sara laughed leaving to go grab them, she carried them in, her bookbag was included.

“How did you get here?”

“Train!” Lexie answered before making the sound affects of the train for them.

“It’s only a one bedroom and the bed is a twin. You and Lexie can sleep there and I’ll take the couch, it’s a futon, or we can have the futon and put Lexie in my bed. I have my car so I can get us a new futon if it’s not suitable and new sheets and pillow. I can put it all in storage during the summer, look into apartments next fall, a two bedroom one.” She answered smiling.

“Let’s deal with that later, as for tonight Lexie and I can go to a hotel, or just I and you can have her for a night if it won’t interfere with your school work.” Sara tried to make everything better.

“All I have are boring papers to write, I promise if I find you two too distracting I’ll go to the library and you two can have fun here. I’ll take the rest of the night off, don’t give me that look Sara I can take the night off. We can test out the futon now, or even just go pick up an air mattress.” She shrugged.

In the end they bought an air mattress that had a stand and placed that in the living room, off to the side of the couch. New sheets for it, sippy cups and other things that Nyssa didn’t have before. They ate either in a restaurant or take out, never going into the dinning hall.

Sara and Lexie stayed for two weeks. Sara would Skype her mother in the evening for her school work. Quentin called every night, he missed his baby girl. When Nyssa would be forced to go to the library she’d sometimes come home to both of them asleep on the air mattress having tried to wait up for her.

* * *

 

Summer came and with it came Nyssa’s birthday. It was a simple day. Just a family dinner with more romantic gifts. Nyssa’s favorite being a t shirt with World’s Best Mama on it with Lexie’s hand prints.

Halloween had an upset Lexie who was excited to dress up but refused to go door to door, instead her and Sara stayed at the sidewalk while Nyssa went to the door and pointed to them.

Thanksgiving was suppose to be very eventful with Sara’s grandparents coming in to meet Nyssa, only Nyssa lucked out by getting food poisoning instead so it was put off until the next year.

The rest of the year was quiet; Sara’s eighteenth birthday was sweet with only family having a dinner.

On New Years they actually made it to midnight where they kissed and then went to bed like the old married couple they secretly were.


	3. Being The Family Disappointment is a Full Time Job

Sara read and reread the email over and over again. “What does this mean Mom?” Sara passed the laptop to her mother who just smiled.

“It means you can get into almost any school you want.” Dinah grinned.

“But not Yale?”

“If you get perfect scores with a perfect GPA Sara you only have a sixty percent chance of getting in. But that doesn’t matter I’m afraid sweetie. Unless they offer you a full scholarship we can’t afford it. Just for one year it’ll cost 127,940. We can’t afford it and if you take a loan you’ll finish school owing the cost of a few houses. I don’t want that for you. I know you want Nyssa with you but you’re managing it now, it won’t be any different if you go to Starling University with Laurel. It’s free.”

“It’s only free because you work there.”

“Well take advantage of it. I know the whole point of taking a year off between finishing high school and starting college was so you could get your grades and score up to see if you had options. You do Sara, unlike before you can have your pick of school, maybe some scholarships, but still, if you want to go to another school you can. We’ll help you pay for whatever school you want, we can only **help** though, if you stay here, you don’t have to spend a cent.”

“You’re right Mom. Any money I make from working will go to savings for an apartment instead of paying off a loan.” She admitted sighing.

“You don’t have to move out.” Dinah stressed. “You and Lexie are more than welcome to live here with us.”

“You’re just saying that because you don’t want to lose Lexie.”

“Or you.” Dinah stressed. “I’d rather none of my girls move away.”

Lexie came downstairs and plopped herself on her mother’s lap. She knew her birthday was in 43 days and she was quite excited to see what being three would mean.

“When Mama coming?”

“Mama is coming two days before your birthday. She has an exam and two papers due the same week so she can’t come before then.” Sara explained wrapping her arms around Lexie.

* * *

 

Schools were finished for the year; Sara was enjoying her last summer before she was off to college. Lexie was asleep in her pillow fort in the basement of the Raakto house while upstairs her mothers enjoyed the alone time. Sara was lying on her back on the couch, Nyssa straddling her hips, their mouths meeting and parting only to meet again.

“No one is in the house.” Nyssa murmured between kisses. “Lexie is asleep in the basement.” Another kiss. “No one can stop or interrupt us.” Another kiss. “Sara, _Habibti_. Come with me.” Kiss. “Upstairs.” Kiss. “ ** _Now_**.” Nyssa wrapped both her arms tightly around Sara, lifting her hips slightly. If they weren’t so in tune, this could have been disastrous but they were more in tune than any other couple, they could practically read each other’s minds so Sara knew that when Nyssa wrapped her arms around her tight, she tightened her hold around Nyssa’s neck and wrapped her legs around her girlfriend’s waist.

“What’s habibbi mean?” Sara asked clinging to her girlfriend like a koala as she walked them upstairs.

“Habibti.” Nyssa smiled into the latest kiss. “It’s Arabic for my beloved.”

“I didn’t know you spoke Arabic.” Sara pulled back and moved one arm from Nyssa’s neck and brushed a few strands of hair from her face.

“I rarely do now, but with languages if you do not use them often you tend to forget them. My mother and her family mostly speak Russian; I speak English here more than anything. I barley remember my French anymore and I do not want that to happen to my Arabic.” Nyssa explained pausing in her steps, she paused and looked up to Sara. “My father would only speak to me in Arabic, when I was little, before we left him.”

“You never speak of him.”

“There is good reason not to.” Nyssa’s face went blank for a few seconds before turning very serious. “I was afraid if you found out who he was, that you’d leave me. Take Lexie and go far away. That you’d fear I was like him, or would be. Or just simply be disgusted that I share his blood.” Sara untangled herself from her girlfriend standing on her own.

“Nothing like that could ever happen. Your father could be Hitler and I’d still look at you with the same amount of love that I do now.” Sara reassured her, kissing her deeply to try and convey the feelings.

“Funny that you should mention Hitler.” Nyssa lead Sara to her room, sitting her on her bed before going to her closet and pulling out a large heavy box. She opened it, pulling out numerous textbooks before finding the right one. She held it up for Sara.

  **Absolute Power; Absolute Psychotics: The Study of the Mentality of Dictators.**

“My Father shares a chapter with Hitler, Enver Pasha, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, Lenin, and Stalin. He is in the top ten for worst dictators of all time. He calls his army The League of Assassins. I trained with them from when I was four until I was eight, when my mother kidnapped me and escaped from his country.” Nyssa opened the book until she came to the page with her father’s picture. “He gave himself the title of Ra’s al Ghul. It means The Demon’s Head. No record has been found to discover his real name. His destroyed the town he was from with a nuke. It was reported in America because it was during the Korean war and they had better things than to worry about Arabian people kill each other.” Nyssa smiled at her. “I was lucky, compared to his other children. He was fond of my mother, he never raped her until after I was born, so unlike them I know for certain that I was convinced out of love and not rape like them. My half sister use to enjoy torturing me when I was an infant, she gave me the scars on my arm. She used to heat up needles and lay them across my skin. She wanted to see what each temperature would leave behind, how hot it had to be to cause so much pain I lost consciousness.” Nyssa noticed the tears forming in Sara’s eyes and wiped them away, placing a hand on each side of Sara’s face. “I am fine love. This was many years ago.” Nyssa kissed Sara’s nose. “I’m not telling you this to scare you, or to get your pity. I’m sorry. I wanted to keep this part of my life from you but I feel so terrible for lying to you.”

“I’m glad you’re telling me Nys. I am so glad you’re telling me but that doesn’t mean I don’t wish I was there to protect you.” Sara reached out to mirror Nyssa’s position. “If you want to keep talking I’m listening, if you don’t want to talk then I’m still here for whatever you want.”

“My father is dead now. Or should be. Years ago Talia, that’s my half sister’s name, she said he was dying and wanted to see me and my mother. We both refused. I don’t know if she was caught by the FBI or not.”

“I hope she’s rotting in a cell and he’s rotting in the ground.” Sara’s voice sounded cold and harsh. It was the farthest thing from Sara’s usual voice it sounded terrible and just _wrong_ for her Sara.

“Enough talk of them.” Nyssa closed the book in Sara’s lap. “I love you so much.”

“I love you so much too Nys. You’re my everything.”

* * *

 

Nyssa was back to work for one whole week before she came back excited to the Lance household, still in her boring grey suit.

“Sara I have amazing news!” Nyssa was grinning with excitement.

“What?” Sara was still in her pjs even though it was five in the evening.

“Did you even get dressed?” Nyssa asked rolling her eyes at her ridiculous.

“Nope!” Lexie shouted running to Nyssa still also in her own pjs.

“Well I have some news that may prevent that from happening again.” Nyssa smiled at Sara. “Guess who needs a secretary.”

“The President.” Sara guessed rolling her eyes.

“You!” Lexie guessed pulling her into their arms.

“That’s right!” Nyssa grinned scooping up Lexie in her arms. “Sara it’s up to you, but the pay will be amazing, I know you want to be able to move out on your own. So please, consider it.”

“You want me to be your secretary?”

“All you have to do is sit at a desk, answer a phone and remind me if I have a meeting. You can do it all on your laptop, or we can get a new laptop for you paid for by the company, so you can game all you want.”

“How much is the pay?”

“$50,320 but the pay if for year round so whenever I am needed in the office so are you. We also have the daycare so we don’t have to worry about who’s watching Lexie.”

“Okay. Okay I’ll do it.” She smiled trying not to picture how sexy it would be later tonight with Nyssa over her, playing sexy boss and hot secretary. Nyssa was just grinning.

* * *

 

Nyssa’s birthday was here and it was pretty quiet. They were lounging on the couch while Lexie and Yuliya were in the kitchen decorating the cake.

“Anything else you want for your birthday?” Sara asked from her spot nuzzled into Nyssa’s side.

“I’ve been thinking. This will be my last year in school. No more traveling between here and New Heaven. When I’m here we pretty much sleep together every night. What if when I’m finished school and working full time we move in together? Officially. Like we get our own place, either a house or an apartment.”

“I do want to live with you sweetie. But I don’t want to feel like a leech. Until I can afford to pay half of everything I can’t get a place, even with you.” She tried to explain her reasons to Nyssa in the best way she could.

“You wouldn’t be a leech.” Nyssa insisted.

“We can get our own place when I can pay for half, well it should be two thirds for Lexie.”

“You are not paying for Lexie. She’s **ours** so we both pay for her.”

“Fine, but I still need a job full time, so you may have to wait another four years.”

“I will wait a hundred if that’s what it takes.”

After the cake was finished and eaten it was time for Lexie to go to bed. Lately instead of a story she wanted a song, apparently that’s what happened to her favorite character in her new favorite show.

Nyssa was helping Yuliya clean up while Sara was sat down next to Lexie on the bed.

“Let's go in the garden, You'll find something waiting, Right there where you left it, Lying upside down, When you finally find it, You'll see how it's faded, The underside is lighter,  
When you turn it around.” Sara sang as Lexie cuddled into her side. Nyssa was in the doorway at this point and sat down on Lexie’s side. Softly singing along with her two blondes.  
  
“Everything stays, Right where you left it, Everything stays, But it still changes, Ever so slightly, Daily and nightly, In little ways, When everything stays.” Sara looked over at Nyssa, smiling as she sang.

* * *

 

The trio were in Target buying school supplies. Lexie was sitting in the basket in the cart clutching a backpack for herself even though she still had two years to go before she went to school herself.

“What else do we need?” Nyssa asked looking for the list they had printed off.

“Candy.”

“No Lex we don’t need candy.”

“Uh huh Auntie Laurel ate it all.”

“Well you have to wait for her to buy it then.” Sara sighed wondering how they lost a list that they literally just had.

“I’ll go back step and see if we dropped it, I’ll meet you by the binders.” Nyssa smiled at Sara before separating from the group.

When Sara got to the binder section she was trying to find the best ones for her, Laurel and Nyssa both agreed that color coded origination is the best way to stay organized and help with her studying. She used some of her money from working for Nyssa to buy a Windows Surface Pro to use for school so she couldn’t be temped to go on steam during class.

“What else do we need sweetie?” Sara asked looking down at Lexie.

“Mama needs special pens.”

“That’s right, but she’s really picky with her pens so we’ll wait for her to pick them out. I need dividers do you want to pick which ones to get?” Sara asked lifting Lexie out of the cart.

“That one it’s blue.” She pointed to the back of ten in the blue wrapper. Sara grabbed five of them and placed them into the cart.

“Mommy, I need school stuff too.” Lexie went across the isle to the children work book section. She grabbed a pack of Frozen pencils and some crayons.

“Why do you need school stuff?” Sara asked looking down at the little girl with her blue eyes and freckles.

“You and Mama need it, so I need it too.” She crossed her arms and Sara sighed picking up some of the work books for reading and basic math.

“Fine, you’ll do your home work when I do mine okay?” She offered, when she was given a nod she put them in the cart also. “Is that why you want the backpack?”

“Uh huh.”

“Fine but you don’t get a new one unless it’s worn out okay?”

“Okay Mommy.” She grinned as she lifted her arms to be picked up by her mother.

“I found it by the pasta it must have fallen then.” Nyssa was back with them now holding the elusive paper in her hand in triumph.

“I got my school stuff Mama.” Lexie informed her.

“Your school stuff?” She looked confused at Sara who nodded to the preschool books in the cart. “That’s great.” Nyssa looked to the list in her hand. “Okay so we have binders, dividers, new label tape for the label maker.”

“Both kinds because you are a giant nerd.” Sara added teasingly.

“We need post its.”

“Costco has them at a way better price.”

“But what colors?”

“Yellow, green, blue and pink.”

“Fine I’ll just get a pack of orange ones here.” Nyssa knew better than to point out that she didn’t need to worry about which was a better deal price wise, she never was told to check the price of something like Sara was. The Lances were far from poor or struggling but they were one bad disaster away from struggling. Nyssa grabbed a few packs of flags along with her orange post its. “I have some for you so you can stay organized. It’ll make it easier for you to study Sara. Just use the tips and the guides.”

“I’ll try but I have disabilities.” Sara rolled her eyes.

“Sara you do not have disabilities. Your parents keep reminding you that you have been tested. You’re fine. Some things get mixed up in your head because your thoughts go as fast as you do and your brain needs a chance to catch up and send the messages.” Nyssa kissed Sara’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Sara smiled back before linking her free arm through Nyssa. “Now I know I saw that this Target has Pizza Hut and you know I love those wings.” She smiled while Lexie agreed to seeing the Pizza Hut.”

* * *

 

“How are you adjusting to college Sara?” Rip asked from his usual chair.

“It’s harder.” She admitted. “But it could just be the year break that is making it seem harder.”

“How are the hallucinations?” He asked not book on his leg, pen at the ready.

“Getting better. The meds are working now, but I had a slip up a little while ago. I heard that voice again.”

 "What do you do when you hear them?" Rip asked from his seat across from her.   
"I tell Nys. Which makes her more worried. But if I didn't tell her she'd worry more."   
"I'm glad you're telling someone Sara. It shows you truly do want to get better."

“Nyssa was in town so I woke her up, she was asleep because Lexa wore her out.” Sara smiled at this. “I keep thinking that it’s not fair, her being stuck with me. She deserves so much better. Sometimes still I can't look at myself in the mirror. Sometimes I just look at them happy and at peace and I worry that all I'll be is a problem. A burden. I catch her looking at me now and then and I see the worry. She shouldn't have to worry. I still think they would be better off without me. I still hear the doubting thoughts. I'm bad. I'm not what they need." Sara explained from her chair still pulling at the same loose thread on her shirt since she first sat down almost an hour ago.  
“Sara that kind of talk is what is damaging. Nyssa seems like she knows what she wants and needs and deserves. Clearly she loves you.”

“I know.” Sara sighed.

“It takes time to get better but you have improved a lot.” He smiled. “I am so glad that you are doing much better.”

“Me too.”

* * *

 

“Mama I wanna be the vampire queen for Halloween.”

“I don’t see why not.” She answered truthfully. “Are Mommy and I allowed to pick our own costumes?” Nyssa had gotten away with four day weekends in her final year so she was back in Starling almost every week.

“Nope.”

“Okay am I allowed to know what my costume is?”

“No.”

“Is it from the same show as you?”

“No.”

“Can I get a hint?”

“No.”

“ **It’s Adventure Time come on grab a friend, we’ll go to very different lands, with Jake the Dog and Finn the Human the fun never ends Adventure Time!** ” The theme song played on the tv and Lexie turned from her mother and faced the screen, completely lost to anything else around them.

Nyssa left Lexie to her show before going upstairs to where Sara was studying.

“Hey want me to quiz you?” Nyssa asked after knocking on the door.

“It’s not that kind of test.” Sara smiled turning around at her desk to face her girlfriend. “Lexie ignoring you again?”

“I’m not as cool as Finn and Jake.”

“I wouldn’t say that, you are way better than Finn and Jake. Just not Marceline or Princess Bubblegum.” Sara teased. “After the show is over we can go out for dinner. I need a break soon; I keep seeing lines of text going over my eyes.”

“I’m sorry sweetie. We can go now if you want.”

“No, Lexie’s watching her show.” Sara knew that already at this young age, Lexie was like her when it came to their shows. “We can wait for it to finish. Do you want to wait here with me? Lex should be fine by herself downstairs.”

“Can you spare a long break? One now and stay on it for dinner?” Nyssa asked honestly wondered.

“I can why?” Sara asked guessing where it was going. Nyssa just gestured to the bed before lying on it.

“Join me?”

“How can I say no?” Sara smirked before going over to the door and locking it shut. She pulled her shirt off smiling when Nyssa did the same.

* * *

 

When it’s time for Trick or Treating Lexie in her costume, Sara and Nyssa still hadn’t been told what theirs was.

It wasn’t until the front door open and showed Oliver dressed as Simon that Lexie finally told them.

“I wanna go with Uncle Ollie.”

“But, you said you knew what you wanted us to wear.” Nyssa tried to remember this ever being mentioned.

“Uh huh. No costume.” She held up her arms to Oliver who picked her up. He looked at Sara.

“She said she checked it with you.”

“And you just took the word of a three year old?” Sara asked rolling her eyes at him.

“I figured she wasn’t at a lying stage yet.”

“Well I guess we know she is now.” Sara huffed. She knew that once Lexie was around 10 she wouldn’t want to go trick or treating with her and Sara was already dreading that time.

“Come on Uncle Ollie.” Lexie was getting antsy to get back outside.

“Oh, she wanted to spend the night with me too. She said she checked with you but clearly she didn’t.”

“No she didn’t.” Sara sighed. “Fine, she can stay over with you. Go around the block I’ll pack her bag.” Sara stomped upstairs while Nyssa just stared after her before looking at Oliver.

“I’d go now if I were you, we wouldn’t want her to change her mind.” Nyssa snipped at Oliver. “Have fun sweetie.” She spoke to Lexie smiling at the toddler and kissing her forehead.

“Love you Mama.”

“I love you too Princess.” Nyssa watched them leave before she ran up to where Sara was, angrily packing a bag for Lexie. “I know you’re upset.”

“How fucking dare he! What am I suppose to say? No? So when Lexie gets disappointed it’s all my fault? He wants me to be the bad guy so he can be the fun one!” Sara yelled slamming the clothes into the bag.

“What don’t we do something special for tonight? Take advantage of the alone time?” Nyssa offered calming taking the bag out of Sara’s hands and placing it down before grabbing both of her girlfriend’s hands.

“You’re just trying to calm me down.” Sara huffed.

“I am. But we rarely have time alone with Lexie getting older so we might as well enjoy what time we do get. I can get us a hotel suite, we can do whatever you want, get room service. You can subject me to those terrible horror movies.”

“Fine. I guess we can do that.” She sighed. “Can we get Pizza Hut too?”

“All the Pizza Hut you want.” Nyssa smiled. “Come on, let’s drop this off to Oliver on our way.”

* * *

 

Nyssa was kissing her way back up Sara’s naked body when Sara’s phone started to go off. “Who’s that?” She asked with one final kissed placed on Sara’s thigh.

“Oliver.” She grabbed it and before she could ask what was wrong Lexie’s tearful voice came through.

“ **Mommy can you come get me?** ” She asked sniffling into the phone.

“We’re on the way sweetie.” Sara hung up and was already up out of the bed heading for the door.

“Sara!” Nyssa called out to her. “Clothes.” Nyssa gestured to Sara’s bare body.

“Right.”

* * *

 

“Must we do this?” Nyssa asked genuinely nervous as Sara adjusts a necklace around her neck.

“I met your family.” Sara stressed. “Just remember Chief likes being told how great his big cases were. Grandma Drake loves talking about Jesus and how he’s magic, just not in that phrase. Grandpa Drake sometimes thinks he’s in Korea or some other war that he may or may not have actually fought in. Grandma Lance is just sweet and loving and if she sees you, she will force feed you like three platefuls of food and if you don’t eat them or say you aren’t hungry when first offered she will stare you down and ask why you hate you.”

“My family may be tied to the Russian mob yet yours seems more dangerous and easier to offend.”

“That’s because they’re American.”

“Don’t forget you and Lexie are invited to Russia for Christmas.”

“I know it’s your pay back for this.”

Thanksgiving is back and this time Nyssa isn’t as lucky as to be sick to miss it. Sara’s grandparents from both sides are over, one grandfather keeps trying to place her accent because he thought she was Russian but she doesn’t sound like a ‘commie’, his wife was the religious one. Constantly still asking about when Lexie was going to be baptized because it sure would be great to see their first great grand child in heaven with them.

Quentin’s parents were more mild, his father was an ex cop, now a private investigator in his old age. Everyone called him Chief, that was his title when he retired and damn it that would be his title on his grave. His mother was sweet and loving commenting on how the girls were too thin (sometimes she’d tell Sara how brave she was for being in no rush to lose the baby weight), when would Laurel and Oliver be getting married. What were the girls’ plans for the future.

The dinner goes well, most questions are directed to Laurel in terms of marriage and futures. The only issue came when Chief brought up Sara changing schools.

“Sara remind me why I didn’t get to see a graduation ceremony for my youngest grand child?” The older man still had his full head of thick black hair, he looked a lot like Quentin only with more wrinkles and harder colder eyes.

“I didn’t feel safe in the school anymore sir.” Sara responded as she helped cut Lexie’s meat.

“What do you mean you didn’t feel safe?” He turned to Quentin. “Didn’t you teach these girls how to defend themselves?”

“Yes I showed them basic moves but it was getting to the point of five against one.” Quentin sighed, he knew he would never hear the end of this when Sara stuck to home schooling. Chief turned to Sara.

“Who was the leader?”

“Her name was Gwen.”

“It was just a bunch of girls? You became a shut in because of some catty little girls?”

“They gave me a concussion once!”

“So you give them worse! Lances don’t back down. What happened your last year in school? I don’t remember you getting hurt then.”

“That was my doing.” Nyssa spoke her. “It was how we met, I noticed Gwen and a few other girls going to Sara. I’ve studied martial arts since I was a bit older than Lexie so I took care of them. They wouldn’t mess with Sara because they knew I’d give them worse.” Nyssa explained.

“Good to know someone at the table kicked their ass.” He gruffly muttered.

* * *

 

For Lexie’s first plane ride it goes surprisingly well. She spends most of the time nuzzled into her mother’s side with the arm rest pushed up. Nyssa had offered them the jet but Sara didn’t want Lexie getting use to flying that way since she wouldn’t have been able to afford anything but regular tickets.

Set up with her mother’s laptop and all available episodes of Adventure Time Lexie stays quiet and even falls asleep. Knowing how terrible the food is, Sara had made them sandwiches and bought snacks for them to have on the plane. Nyssa had reluctantly agreed to go to Russia ahead of time.

During turbulence Lexie was a bit shaken but nothing Sara couldn’t calm.

Christmas in Russia is different, but not unpleasant. She tries all the native food and finds it to be pretty good. The best is when she talks to Nyssa’s grandfather about Orange is the New Black and he agrees to get her all the food Red mentioned.

New Years is spent with toasts to their mutual favorite Russian fictional chef.


End file.
